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Monthly Archives: November 2015

Root canal treatment will relieve pain, prevent tooth infection complications and let you keep your tooth. While the procedure is fairly simple, knowing how to prepare for it may ease the experience even more. Here are some tips for when you get a root canal.

Anxious? Ask About Sedation

Myths about root canal claim that the treatment is painful and laborious, but it is actually no more difficult than a filling for most patients to tolerate. However, you can ask about sedation options if you are still anxious about your root canal. Depending on your candidacy, you may be offered inhaled, oral or IV sedation.

Monitor Your Condition During Recovery

You are likely to experience some pain during the healing process, but anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen should keep you comfortable. If pain lasts longer or grows in severity, you should contact our West Hollywood dentist right away as the infection may be re-occurring. You should also call if you notice swelling or unevenness in your bite.

After you get a root canal, be sure to brush and floss regularly to keep the treated tooth healthy. You can learn more tips for this procedure at a consultation with our root canal dentist in West Hollywood.

Traditional crowns usually require at least two separate appointments, one to take the impression and prepare the tooth, and another one to place the crown that the lab has designed between appointments. For somebody with a busy life, this situation is not always ideal. Luckily, same day crowns are now available.

A same day crown is a special type of crown that utilizes CAD/CAM technology. These acronyms stand for Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing, respectively. During this procedure, our Agoura Hills cosmetic dentist will first scan your tooth with a computer. The scan is sent to a computer that creates the ideal crown for your tooth. The dentist may tweak the design if necessary. Using the design, the machine will mill your crown out of a block of specialized ceramic. The aesthetics and the durability of the resulting crown are top notch, and best of all, it can be applied the very same day. There is no longer any need to wait until the next appointment or deal with the hassle of getting fit with a temporary crown.

If you are interested in learning if a same day crown is the right option for your dental needs, contact our expert in same day crowns in Agoura Hills to schedule a consultation.

Invisalign has become quite a popular option for patients requiring orthodontic treatment. If you are considering treatment with Invisalign to correct your own alignment issues, you are probably curious about the cost. The cost of Invisalign treatment will vary on a case-by-case basis, and it will depend on a variety of factors.

The first factor to consider is the severity of the orthodontic issue that you wish to correct. Treatment with Invisalign is performed using a series of clear plastic aligners, with each set of aligners being worn for two weeks before being replaced with a new set. Each set of aligners represents an incremental movement of your teeth towards the treatment goal. An orthodontic issue that is more severe will require more aligners. The more aligners that are required, the higher the cost will be. It is also important to consider the geographic location that you will be receiving your Invisalign treatment. Major cities tend to be more expensive than smaller ones. For example, the Invisalign prices in Beverly Hills will probably be more expensive than they would be in the Midwest. Another thing to take into consideration is the level of experience of the person performing the procedure. More experienced providers are usually also more expensive. That being said, you will want your provider to have plenty of experience.

Periodontal disease is usually preventable but frequently neglected by patients, who often do not even know they have it. Once diagnosed, periodontal disease should be treated as soon as possible to avoid worsening and complications. Here is a look at the treatments our Los Angeles dentist may recommend for this issue.

Treatment of periodontal disease is easiest when it is in its early stages. Very early on, use of antimicrobial mouthwash and improved brushing and flossing habits may resolve periodontal disease. Our dentist may also recommend deep cleaning, also called scaling and root planing, which involves scraping bacteria away from the teeth and even slightly below the gum line.

Advanced periodontitis may necessitate gum flap surgery to remove accumulated bacteria. With this procedure, our expert in periodontal treatments in Los Angeles clears bacteria from the teeth and their roots, which are accessed by cutting the gums and pulling them back. Tissue grafts for the jaw bones and soft tissues may also be recommended if damage has occurred.

Patients can minimize their likelihood of developing periodontal disease by brushing and flossing and getting regular check-ups. At a consultation with our dentist, patients can find out if they have gum disease and explore treatment options if necessary.

Ceramic braces are available as an alternative to traditional metal braces. One of the main reasons that people choose to go with ceramic braces is because they are much less visible than traditional metal braces. Below are some more pros and cons of ceramic braces.

Pros

As mentioned, one of the biggest pros of ceramic braces is that they are less likely to be noticed by other people. This is because ceramic braces use ceramic brackets instead of metal brackets in order to hold the archwire in place. These ceramic braces can be made to be translucent or tooth-colored. The arch-wire that is used is also usually frosted to blend in better with the brackets. Another big pro of ceramic braces is that they are just as powerful at moving your teeth into the proper alignment as metal braces. Also, ceramic is stain resistant.

Cons

One of the main cons of ceramic braces is that they are more expensive than metal braces. Also, some patients feel that ceramic brackets feel rougher against their soft oral tissues when compared to metal brackets. The ceramic brackets are usually bigger, too. This is because ceramic is more fragile than metal. In order to compensate, it requires that the brackets are larger. And because of their fragility, our Los Angeles orthodontists may need to use less force when moving your teeth, resulting in a slightly longer treatment time.

If you are wondering if ceramic braces are the right orthodontic treatment option for you, contact our expert in ceramic braces in Los Angeles to schedule a consultation.

You may suffer from dental anxiety if going to the dentist for something as routine as a teeth cleaning fills you with dread. It is nothing to be ashamed, of, though. The good news is that many dentists offer dental sedation for patients that suffer from dental anxiety. After all, proper oral hygiene is just as important for anyone suffering from dental anxiety as it is for anyone else.

There are four levels of dental sedation. The first level of dental sedation is minimal sedation. Nitrous oxide is usually used to place patients into this level of sedation. You will feel relaxed during your visit to the dentist, and should still be able to drive yourself home. Moderate sedation is the second level, and it can be given either orally or intravenously. You will likely still be awake during the procedure, but may not remember most of it. The third level of sedation is deep sedation. This level places the patient on the brink of unconsciousness. The final level is general anesthesia. Only licensed anesthesiologists can administer at this level, as it will render you completely unconscious.

The level of sedation that will work best for you will be determined by our dentist in North Hollywood at the time of your appointment. The goal is to make you as comfortable as possible during your visit. If you are interested in learning more about dental sedation, contact our sedation dentist in North Hollywood.

Tooth bleaching is a cosmetic procedure with some pretty surprising benefits. Our cosmetic dentist in Santa Clara offers tooth bleaching treatments that can remove even the deepest, toughest stains, including stains from coffee, wine and tobacco.

What are the advantages of bleaching? Bleaching offers impressive results for a small investment. Not only is tooth bleaching quite affordable, but it also requires minimal time. In-office procedures can be finished in about an hour, but even take-home professional treatments work considerably faster and more effectively than OTC whitening products.

Once your teeth are whiter, you may want to smile more often. This can lead to better self-confidence and less embarrassment about the way your teeth look. Feeling confident helps you look more confident, and others may just take notice. Many patients also find their dental health improves after a whitening treatment. This is because brushing and flossing carefully can keep your teeth whiter and more attractive.

If your smile is dull, dingy and discolored, we can help. Call us today to learn more about tooth bleaching or to schedule your appointment with our expert in tooth bleaching in Santa Clara.